Have any smokers switched to using electronic vapourisers?

[peggy-sue]

Mother was my "environmental stimulus". She's dead now. I have got rid of her.

I'm a non-practising alcoholic too - sober for 22 years - but the feelings which drove me to drink are still there.

I would say I am completely over any addiction to the tobacco "extras".

My parents gave me mercury to play with when I was a child, fabulous, fascinating stuff!
It tickles when you run it around in your palms, it's so weirdly heavy,
and when you hit a blob of it hard with a ruler, it shatters into tiny blobs everywhere, and then you can get them all to run back together again....

I do have mercury fillings, but they don't bother me. I can't afford yellow ones.
(I don't have whitened teeth - I think they look like dentures and I don't want to mess with my enamel.)
I have been told by my dentist that there is more danger involved in getting them removed (because it's drilled into an airborne dust. so it has a huge surface area) than keeping them in as they are. It's also something I simply could not afford.
Removal of amalgam fillings is not something encouraged in the uk; dentists don't want to be exposed to the dust either, and it's only available in private practice - at huge cost.
I did ask about it, years ago, thinking it might be a good idea because of the ME.

The real danger with mercury is not really so much the metal itself (although safety rules and regulations are much stricter than they used to be, I'm not saying it is safe) - but when it becomes part of an organic molecule.

 

[Firestormm]

I am laughing my head off now after Southpark, fanny-packs and pants I love all these little 'cultural' phenomena Thanks for the memories

 

[peggy-sue]

You could always knock me down with a feather when "fecking" came out of my OH's elderly and very proper Irish Mum's mouth!

 

[Mark]

Indeed, a rather embarrassing mistake to make!

For anyone who's confused, here's part of a South Park episode which explains how Americans use the term:

Indeed, an easy mistake to make.

Fully endorse everything Peggy-Sue's saying about vapourisers...definitely the way forward.

 

[peggy-sue]

Thanks, Mark.
I was a bit dubious about whether or not this is an appropriate thing to be discussing here. I was really glad Kina popped in, and now you.

I have found there are several vaping forums on the net, all offering good advice and explaining how to use them and the effects (including the difficult or uncomfortable) to be expected.

I am very concerned about seeming to promote/advertise one particular product though.

There are many, many different systems, all easily found on the net. The reason I chose the one I did is purely because there is a brick and mortar shop just 5 minutes walk from me.
I don't like buying unseen and unfelt stuff on the net. I do like dealing with human beings I can ask questions of.

It does seem daft that these are being villified.
The "damascus" moment that is essential for somebody to have in order to quit an addiction could take years to happen for any given smoker, if it happens at all.
During those years, a vapouriser could have been used rather than carrying on with tobacco and the lungs and body could have been happily healing away!
You can still quit vapourising if you want to. I also think it would be much easier than quitting ciggies.
I don't personally, want to quit.

I can't quite believe I am actually a non-smoker now. I never, ever thought it would be possible.
And I still have my beloved, comforting habit. It's just not disgusting and shameful any more.

 

[Undisclosed]

I don't see what the problem is with them either. Seems like a fantastic alternative to me.

I quit smoking back in 2000 via the patch at first but it made my skin feel like it was on fire, made my skin itch horribly around the patch and left big red welts. Probably a glue allergy. I also got very bad headaches. So I moved to the gum. I still had withdrawal symptoms that were quite severe and to this day I still get cravings. I still like chewing nicorette gum. I think if e-cigarettes were around back then, I would have tried them.

My dad was a heavy smoker -- 2-3 packs a day of unfiltered. I am sure he would have appreciated them. He quit when one had no choice but to go cold turkey.

 

[peggy-sue]

Thanks again, Kina.

Getting rid of the effects of the tar in smoke is extremely beneficial to PWME.
So is getting rid of carbon monoxide and increasing oxygen.
(I know! I don't suffer some peripheral neuropathy things - like cold feet and hands, nearly so much any more.)

But the stress and anxiety and general yukkiness and misery of quitting is bad for our health too. We're sick enough without adding that to it.

 

[Firestormm]

Woohoo!! My postie deliver a package this morning: The Sherlock and Wizards Leaf

And I blame Mark I took the plunge and decided to further my economising, so it's his fault Nah. A couple of starter kits and a bit of fiidling; but I'm filing my own now quite happily with the help of a syringe

And the battery part from the Nicolites actually works rather well with these babies. So more saving

A lot cheaper than Nicolites hopefully and the Wizard's Leaf is rather nice. Reminiscent of pipe-smoking like I did last when at Uni a few years back - looked like a prat but I didn't care tuppence

Fancy I might obtain a deerstalker at some point when I progress to Sherlock. I can see myself now surrounded in smoke and thinking on the moor as the great detective was wont to do...

 

[peggy-sue]

I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine - but I think yours looks better.
And shopping around a bit, you seem to have found something at a very good price too. (I may recommend it to my friend who is working hard to convert from rollies)
Glad to see you've found one with strict quality control and I like the notion of using something British made too - helping our economy. There's not a lot of home-made stuff around.

Thiss is a link to a thread in a vaping forum I found interesting - you may find a lot of other stuff lurking there.
I didn't join myself - but I do lurk.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/337017-inhalation-technique-e-cigarette.html

 

[Flower1978]

Hi there,

I am a woman from the Netherlands, not so good in english. I have chronic fatigue symptom and chronic depression symptoms for almost twenty years now. I started vaping in may 2013 and felt really good and in september i got a very bad allergic reaction to it, turns out i am allergic to vegetable glycerine usp. I tried different variants suppliers but every time i get a really big eye, so bad that you don't want to go outside (not that i go out a lot
Turns out it is very rare, because i can't find a lot of people on the internet that also have it. I never knew it. I really miss vaping the liquid because it was somehow relaxing my brain.
I am a bit angry, why me, everybody can vape, why not me :-(

 

[peggy-sue]

That is a tragic insult on top of being so ill.
I'm really very sorry to hear this.

Not all of the liquids do contain the vegetable glycerine - I think.

I will ask in the shop tomorrow.

 

[Flower1978]

Thanks peggy sue for your reply. I now have a diy base PG with no flavour here to try, but i will try if the allergic reaction is away.

 

[peggy-sue]

I believe you can make your own liquids - and that flavours are available as concentrates...

I am not that "sophisticated" yet.


I will ask if they do come without the vegetable glycerin.

It is still a fairly new "phenomenon" - the equipment is being improved all the time,

and more options for folk who do have trouble with some ingredients are being explored.

There are more and more companies making them now too.

I do hope you can find something suitable.

 

[peggy-sue]

I spoke to the chap in the shop.
He told me that it is the vegetable glycerin that gives you the "throat hit" - their normal juices contain 20% vegetable glycerine and 80% PG.

He did say that you can get an aqueous glycerin, or just pure PG, but with the pure PG, you won't get the same throat hit.
He said that he, personally, likes to mix a juice with a bit more vegetable glycerin than normal - so it can be done.

It will just be a matter of you finding a suitable manufacturer who can provide you with your particular needs.

You might be as well joining an electric cigarette forum - you would get much more practical advice there, I'm sure too, that they would be on top of what is available around the world.

 

[aimossy]

ahhhhh sigh best thread so far!!!!

 

[Firestormm]

Right, so the European Union, is today voting on measures that would make E-cigs and the liquids 'medicinal products' or somesuch nonsense.

However, I have to say, that I do on occasion wonder if the nicotine said to be in the fluid is actually present, and I think I might find it a comfort knowing that 'it is what it says on the tin'.

They are not banning the products over safety fears at least - though each country is able to do what it pleases.

Here's the Beeb report. It's been all over the radio this morning, and I'm bored now. Wish they'd get on with it!

MEPs vote on anti-tobacco rules aimed at young smokers

Most e-cigs come with age restrictions - or they bloody well should now. I am on the 'fill your own' variety and other than leakages - grrr - I have few complaints (some of the flavours I have tried really do suck bum!

I haven't been smoking tobacco out of need and chuff merrily away on these things all day long for a fraction of the cost of what I smoked before (not that even then I was a heavy smoker by any means or stretch of the imagination)...

Anyhoo... I doubt any of that will influence a govt. twat's decision to ban them. Damn fools that they are!

 

[peggy-sue]

I had troubles with leakage at the beginning - but I seem to have managed to learn how to prevent them now - but don't ask me how!

The inner cartridge, the bit with the wadding in, needs to be very firmly secured at the bottom, you need to be careful when filling it, to keep the liquid ALL going in between the container sides and the insidey wadding bit.

It does leak if you put liquid inside the wadding holder, and leaving it "upside-down" will slowly allow some leakage.

Sometimes, when screwing a recharged battery on, you can loosen the screw and thread above it accidentally, and that will cause a leak.

Now that I have learned to use it properly, I'm quite convinced my stuff does contain the right level of nicotine for me.

I still only use the one flavour, I've tried a couple of others, they just don't "do it" for me.

It sounds as if you've really got quite into this, Firestormm.....

I have calculated that I am going to need about 75 bottles of juice a year.
From the number of batteries and cartridges I have used and the number of the other bits, I should be able (if my brain co-operates) to calculate how many of these bits I'll need in a year.

Then I need to guesstimate how long I will live, and stock up before the legislation comes in.

I do not want to have to go back to stinkies!

 

[rosie26]

Finally I got my hands on an nicotine e cigarette
Hmmm they make you cough, just like a real smoke !
They catch on your throat lol !

I started to get a bit concerned about 3 days into it as I started getting a rapid heartbeat.
I think it will take me awhile to be a bit more sensible as I have been doing both, that is, having an e cig and the next time having a roll your own or a tailor maid !!!

I also notice it is hard knowing when to stop puffing on the e cig as it could go on and on as much as you would like to puff. I am starting to try and count 10 puffs and then put it down, which doesn't always work if I go off into a daydream.

I found a fabulous shop which stocks all the e cig stuff and the liquid refill thing as well which I will eventually try. Yay !!!!

 

[Firestormm]

Finally I got my hands on an nicotine e cigarette
Hmmm they make you cough, just like a real smoke !
They catch on your throat lol !

I started to get a bit concerned about 3 days into it as I started getting a rapid heartbeat.
I think it will take me awhile to be a bit more sensible as I have been doing both, that is, having an e cig and the next time having a roll your own or a tailor maid !!!

I also notice it is hard knowing when to stop puffing on the e cig as it could go on and on as much as you would like to puff. I am starting to try and count 10 puffs and then put it down, which doesn't always work if I go off into a daydream.

I found a fabulous shop which stocks all the e cig stuff and the liquid refill thing as well which I will eventually try. Yay !!!!

I stopped smoking indoors some years ago, and so found it easier to switch completely to e-cigs, as I was having to go outside to have the occasional puff on real tobacco; but now I do not need to.

The rapid heartbeat is perhaps due to you taking in more nicotine - by puffing as much on the e-cig as you might a real cigarette. I tend to just have a puff every now and again, but can go for ages without feeling the need - unless I am working and/or trying to concentrate on something and need to keep going for a little longer (a puff then is handy I find).

Try and do without real tobacco. Make the switch completely. The only time I now revert to real tobacco is ocasionally when I am able to take a walk outside - not all the time - but ocassionally. I don't think e-cigs can replace the taste of real tobacco so I tend to regard it now as a 'treat'. Perversely

 

[aimossy]

good on you guys! im holding out but I know I need to do this!
you cool vappers!!!(vapourising) literally has a name.